The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving the efficiency of electronic communication and, in particular, to a method and apparatus which can communicate with available electronic desk top equipment, such as personal computers, workstations, video cameras, television, VCR""s, CD players and telephones and receive, store, process and send multiple forms of media information, such as sound, image, graphics, video and data, both digitally and algorithmically based on a plurality of selective band widths.
Technology allows the individual to communicate with others not only by the telephone, but also by telefax machines, personal computers and workstations utilizing modems and telephone lines and data and video information can also be stored and disseminated by means of videotapes, compact discs and television monitors.
There are methods and apparatus available which allow for large amounts of data to be reduced and transmitted in a very short amount of time, such methods and apparatus are known as compressing the data. Similarly, there are methods and apparatus available for enhancing the image quality of visual and graphic data that has been compressed and is now being displayed. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,947 to Kono; U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,350 to Hinman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,589 to Hirose; U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,620 to Shimoni; U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,946 to Hammer; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,256 to Nussmier.
While the aforesaid patents teach various methods and apparatus for compressing and decompressing data and enhancing the image quality of the data, none of the aforesaid patents have directed themselves to the concept and structure of a method and apparatus which would communicate with and share resources among the telephone, personal computer or workstation, video screen and VCR to allow the individual to select and convey multiple forms of media information such as sound, image, graphics, data and live video in an efficient and effective architecture which would automatically adjust to available band widths and which would be capable of communicating in multiple band widths.
An object of the present invention is to define an integrated process architecture which can accommodate communications, both transmission and retrieval, of all digitally-coded or algorithmic multimedia information.
Another object of the invention is to provide for a novel system architecture which is flexible and allows control of the variable communications band widths and allows for flexible combinations of digitally-coded multiple media information having application to teleconferencing or educational instruction.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel process architecture which not only allows for digital coding techniques, but also can interface with traditional analog storage or transmission techniques.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel, process architecture which allows the user to control program and select the appropriate media combination either before or during the communication session.
An apparatus and method for multimedia communications including voice, audio, text, still image, motion video and animated graphics which permits communications between multimedia transmitters and receivers and which is compatible with multiple standard or customized coding algorithmic signals such as H.261, MPEG, JPEG, EDTV or HDTV whereby multiple incompatible video coding equipment employing different video coding algorithms can now communicate with each other and which includes a reconfigurable memory for selectively adjusting the internal file format and size so as to be compatible with any available band width.